Inviting & Onboarding New Board Members

This is the fifth article in this six-part series outlining my nonprofit board development process.

  • Article 1 focused on clarifying what your organization needs from its board.
  • Article 2 explored setting expectations to guide and hold members accountable.
  • Article 3 talked about determining where a prospect is on the casual – connected – committed continuum, and where to find them. 
  • And in Article 4 we dug into recruiting, vetting, and tracking our board prospects. 

Now that you’ve identified and vetted your top prospects, it’s time to invite and onboard them. How you handle this step will make or break your relationship with each new board member.

 

Make It Official

Joining a board is a big deal! And it should be treated that way. The invitation should match the level of importance that this role warrants. That means that the process should be more than just asking – “So do you want to join?” A professional process helps signal that this isn’t just another volunteer role — it’s a governance commitment.

First and foremost, a formal recommendation needs to be made to the board. If the entire board has not had the opportunity to meet the candidate, then the recommendation should be accompanied by a bio and/or resume sent out in advance. 

If the board decides not to invite a prospect to join, follow up with a personal phone call. Whether the timing isn’t right or the fit isn’t ideal, communicate respectfully and reflect your organization’s brand in every interaction.

When the board does approve a prospect, an official invitation should be extended. Every board has their own style, but a personal phone call followed up by an email or written invitation is a standard minimum expectation. 

This is a good point to collect a headshot and request some personal information. Using an “All About Me” form of some sort (sample 1 & sample 2) to learn about the individual, their family, connections, interests, pets, favorite snacks, preferred ways to be recognized, and more is a great practice! Some agencies tie the “get-to-know-you” to their mission. For example, an organization dedicated to literacy may ask for the new board member’s favorite children’s book. 

Once you have collected information about your newest board member, you can make an engaging announcement. At the minimum you will want to officially announce the addition to your board. You may also want to make an agency-wide introduction, or even share with your community. Newsletters, press releases, marquees, posters in your facility, your website and social media are just some of the opportunities to get the word out about your newest board member. 

 

Welcome

Once you have officially invited them on, they have accepted, and you have introduced your new volunteer, you will want to make them feel genuinely welcomed and equipped to succeed.

At their first board meeting, dedicate a little extra time for introductions and relationship-building. Maybe include special treats or activities. For example, you may want to do a recap of the committee structure, key strategies, or significant board initiatives. Intentionally including a small group activity is a low-key way to connect new people with existing volunteers. 

A “board buddy” or mentor is another way to ensure that your new member feels welcome and connected. This can either be informal or a very structured program. For success it’s important to establish clear expectations and requirements. For example, one organization pairs each new member with a long-serving board member for their first six months. They sit together during meetings, meet for coffee once between meetings, and check in via text after each board packet is sent out.

The welcome will set the tone for the board culture and what your newbie can expect. Designing a highly engaging welcome sends a clear message: you’ve been invited to contribute and make an impact. Finally, ensuring that the initial meeting includes at least one high-level, generative discussion communicates the elevated focus of work that can be expected from the board. 

 

Orient & Educate

Board Orientation is the piece that most organizations first think of when they talk about on-boarding. It’s also something that many agencies struggle with. It can be difficult to know how much or how little to share, how best to deliver, who to present, the amount of time to dedicate, and more. Every organization has different needs, so there is no cookie cutter plan that works for everyone. 

As you start to develop your plan, consider what your new members need to know right away. What are the most important things they will need in order to be engaged and start contributing? Are there less urgent components that can be distributed in a binder or down the road as they get acclimated? 

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Ideally, on day one your new recruits have everything they need in order to be an effective governance volunteer. The reality is that there is so much to know and time is always limited. You don’t want them to feel like they are drinking from a firehose, but you also don’t want them to feel lost and like they can’t effectively contribute. It’s a balancing act. 

The first step in developing your Board Orientation is to determine WHAT information your board needs to know. Common content includes:

  • Agency history, mission, vision, values, etc.
  • Strengths and challenges facing the organization
  • Nonprofit board duties, roles, and responsibilities 
  • How to be a great board member
  • Key points from the ByLaws, and how to access them
  • Industry “big picture,” agency connection
  • Staff and board leadership introductions 
  • Agency structure, programs, services, impact, etc.

There may be additional content that makes sense for your unique organization or cause. Try to think of everything a board member could possibly want or need to know. Surveying veteran board members or engaging them in the curriculum development process is a great way to understand what they wish they had known when they started. 

HOW & WHEN TO DELIVER

After you have determined everything your new volunteer needs to know, you may realize that it’s going to be difficult to deliver all of this information quickly and effectively. You can compile everything into a board manual and ask them to review it — and a few might actually do that. 

Different learning styles should be considered. Not everyone learns well by reading. So a board manual, no matter how comprehensive, cannot be your only plan for orientation. Using a mix of delivery methods will lead to better content retention.

In addition to a comprehensive board manual, it’s recommended that you hold a live training to go over the key components. This is best delivered in-person, but if geography makes that challenging or even impossible, an online event will do just fine. 

Determine the most important things you need your governance volunteers to know right away. At a minimum, this will probably include your cause, mission, programs or services, board member duties + roles + responsibilities, and introductions to board members and key staff. There is likely other stuff that is unique to your organization and highly relevant. That is what you include in your orientation. 

It’s best to have as many different presenters share information as possible. This exposes the new member to the different players – board chair, vice-chair, executive directors, committee leaders, etc. It also gives several different perspectives and develops leadership skills in your board members. 

After you determine what content to include, you need to figure out the logistics. Ideally all of your board members will want to be involved in this event. It’s a great refresher for everyone and a wonderful welcome for your new people. The reality is that different boards have varying comfort levels for the amount of time and energy they are willing to commit to this event and even to the board. Some will be fine with a few hours in an evening or on a Saturday morning. Others will merely tolerate an extra hour before or after a board meeting. 

Similar to the rest of the onboarding process, you want to make this a special event. Regardless of the format, timing, and who all will attend, make sure that invitations go out well in advance, the schedule is clear, and incorporate a social or relationships building component. You’ll also want to include refreshments, professional materials, and nametags or name tents. 

AFTER ORIENTATION

Not everything can be crammed into the board orientation. So even after the orientation, there is going to be information you still want to deliver. As noted above, you can (and should) compile materials into a board binder or online system. A board binder is great for reference, but not the best tool for teaching.

Some other ideas for ongoing training include:

  • Regular emails with mini training messages
  • A drip campaign of videos or podcasts that deliver content
  • Incorporate education into the regular board meetings 
  • Use the mentor or board buddies to deliver information one-on-one
  • Assign each board member different topics to cover one-on-one with the new folks

 

Ongoing Support

Onboarding doesn’t end after the new member attends their first meeting or the orientation. To truly help a newbie feel comfortable, the focus on relationships, and support needs to continue. Some of the components already covered can help with this. The board buddy program, ongoing training plans, and using the All About Me information can help. 

It’s also a great practice to plan for regular check-ins, not only with new board members, but also with the existing ones. Touching base with each of them every 2 to 4 months is a good practice. It doesn’t have to be an hour long meeting or anything super involved. Just a phone call to answer questions, thank them for their contributions, and do a temperature check. It’s a simple gesture that will do a lot towards relationship building and helping board members feel valued. 

I’ve heard from several organizational leaders who are frustrated with bringing on new board members, only to have them leave after a couple of months. It’s understandable to be frustrated by that. You work hard to recruit, you pour energy into relationship building, and you think you’re set for a while. Then BAM! You have to start over. 

Rather than being frustrated, consider these two alternatives. First, if they flake out or quit or decide they cannot commit to the expectations, it’s best to learn this early in the process. That situation is far better than dealing with the annoyance of having a board member who is there in name only – not replying to emails, not coming to meetings, and not contributing in any meaningful way. 

The other thing to think about is whether this person was onboarded in a way that would make them want to stay. Before you write off a new board member who drops out, ask:

  • Were they professionally invited to join?
  • Were they formally introduced to the organization?
  • Were they made to feel welcome and valued?
  • Were they given the tools needed to understand their role?
  • Were they supported as they settle into their role? 

If not, what could be done to make sure the next new recruit will want to stay, engage, and help make the world a better place? 

 

Up Next

This is the second to last article in this series. In the final article, we’ll explore how to engage board members in ways that are personally meaningful to them and strategically beneficial to the organization — the true key to board retention.

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges when it comes to onboarding governance volunteers. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss ways to advance your Board of Directors and the work of your agency.

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com 

Recruiting, Vetting, Tracking: Building A Board with Intention

Welcome to the fourth article in this six-part series outlining my nonprofit board development process.

  • Article 1 focused on clarifying what your organization needs from its board.
  • Article 2 explored setting expectations to guide and hold members accountable.
  • Article 3 talked about determining where a prospect is on the casual – connected – committed continuum, and where to find them. 

Now that you’re clear about your Ideal Board Profile, your expectations, and where to look for your hot, warm, and cool prospects, the next logical step is to figure out what to do with those individuals you’re interested in recruiting and vetting.

One Coffee Meeting Isn’t a Strategy

Let’s name it: many organizations rely on a single, informal strategy to recruit board members. Too often, that strategy is something like: “the Executive Director has coffee with someone and then invites them to join the board.”

And yes – coffee can absolutely be part of a successful cultivation plan. But it shouldn’t be the only strategy. A strong recruitment process is thoughtful, varied, and relationship-based. It offers multiple opportunities for prospects to engage with your mission, your team, and your work before any invitation to serve is extended.

Depending on your mission, you may have plenty of natural on-ramps for engagement – or you may need to get creative. Either way, this phase is about intentionally deepening relationships, gathering insights, and laying the groundwork for informed board invitations.

 

Deepening Relationships: From Casual to Committed

Let’s break down the process of moving prospects along the continuum from casual to connected, and then to committed. This article doesn’t focus on moving people from “clueless” to “casual” – that’s really a marketing conversation. Instead, we’ll start with prospects who already have some awareness that your organization exists.

From Casual to Connected

Casual prospects might be:

  • On your newsletter list
  • Friends, neighbors, or vendors
  • Occasional attendees at community events
  • Social media followers who occasionally comment or share

Your goal with casual prospects is not to make a hard sell for board service. It’s to educate, build trust, and invite light-touch participation that draws them deeper into your mission.

Some examples:

  • Invite newsletter subscribers to make a specific in-kind donation.
     Example: A domestic violence shelter might host a winter coat drive.
  • Host an event designed to share your work.
     Example: A historic preservation foundation could offer a public presentation about upcoming renovations.
  • Offer regular tours or informal gatherings.
     Example: An animal shelter might hold a weekly “Yappy Hour” where guests can play with animals and meet staff.

Here’s the key: These interactions aren’t passive experiences. Staff and board members should be intentional – trained to listen for interest, ask good questions, and take note of promising prospects who align with the board’s current needs.

And importantly, these experiences should not just deepen relationships with a staff person. They should connect the individual more meaningfully with the organization as a whole. The prospect should walk away with a sense of your organization’s culture, values, and impact – something bigger than one person or one conversation.

From Connected to Committed

Connected prospects have already taken a few steps toward engagement. They might:

  • Attend events or fundraisers
  • Donate regularly 
  • Volunteer in programs or for events
  • Follow your work with genuine interest

These individuals already care. Now your job is to nurture that care and explore their potential for greater involvement.

Here are some ideas:

  • Invite them to coffee or lunch with the Executive Director or a board member. Not to pitch them for the board, but to learn more about them and share more about your mission.
  • Ask for help with a meaningful but manageable task. People feel more committed when they can contribute their time and talents in a way that matters.
  • Offer a personalized tour or an insider experience. Seeing your work up-close builds deeper connection and often sparks curiosity.
  • Invite them to serve on a short-term committee or task force. Choose something that matches their skills or interests.

Each of these strategies serves two purposes:

  1. Deepen the relationship.
  2. Offer real insight into how the prospect shows up – how they think, work with others, communicate, and follow through. That information is invaluable for your vetting process.

And again, think beyond a single relationship. How can this person feel connected to the organization – not just the Executive Director or a charismatic board member? In healthy board cultures, people stay connected because they care about the mission, the impact, and the team.

 

Vetting: From Committed to Board Member

Once someone is clearly invested – talking about your mission in the community, showing up consistently, supporting in multiple ways – it’s time to seriously consider them for board service. But remember: not everyone who’s deeply committed should serve on your board!

After you’ve built a foundation of relationship and engagement, vetting ensures that your decision to invite someone onto the board is grounded in intention – not desperation.Vetting helps you evaluate whether a prospect is ready and right for board service at this time. It also gives your team a shared framework for making informed, unbiased decisions.

Here are five key areas to consider during vetting:

1. Alignment with the Mission

  • Do they care deeply about your cause?
  • Have they shown interest over time (not just in one conversation)?
  • Can they speak about your work in a way that’s passionate and informed?

In-Action Example: During a one-on-one conversation, ask them to describe why they’re interested in your organization. A strong candidate will talk about their personal connection to the mission or their passion for your impact – not just board service in general.

2. Ability to Meet Board Expectations

  • Have they reviewed your Board Expectations (from Article 2)?
  • Do they have the time, energy, and resources to contribute meaningfully?
  • Are they willing to engage in fundraising, governance, and strategic thinking?

In-Action Example: Send them your Board Expectations document ahead of time, then discuss it together. Ask how they’ve navigated similar responsibilities in the past. Listen for thoughtful questions, openness, and any signs of hesitation – especially around time, fundraising, or fiduciary duties.

3. Fit with Current Board Composition

  • What perspectives, skills, or lived experiences do they bring?
  • Do they help fill gaps identified in your Ideal Board Profile (Article 1)?
  • Will they complement your existing team dynamics?

In-Action Example: Discuss the culture of the board and the intentional ways it is being shaped. Ask about what they look for in a team culture and how they see themselves supporting the one that has been created. 

4. Leadership and Follow-Through

  • Have they demonstrated follow-through in prior engagement (e.g., showing up to events, completing volunteer tasks)?
  • Are they reliable, respectful, and collaborative?

In-Action Example: After a meeting, follow up with a small task or resource (e.g., “Would you mind sending a short bio I can share with the committee?” or “Let me know if you’d like to review our financials before we reconnect.”). Notice whether they follow through promptly, ask questions, or leave it hanging.

5. Red Flags or Cautions

  • Are they overly critical of the organization without offering solutions?
  • Do they dominate conversations or show signs of being difficult to collaborate with?
  • Are there signs they’re seeking board service for prestige, not service?

When you are in need of board members, it can be difficult to consider turning someone away who is interested in serving. It feels like looking a gift horse in the mouth. Yet there is little value in filling a board slot with someone who doesn’t meet your needs, is not willing to fulfill your expectations, or who disrupts the culture of your board. 

📝 Pro Tip: Consider creating a brief evaluation form or scorecard for your board development committee or leadership team to use consistently across all prospects. It doesn’t need to be rigid—but it should help ground your conversations in shared values and expectations. Here is a sample Board Prospect Vetting Worksheet to get you started. 

 

Tracking: From Chaos to Clarity

Without a system for tracking your board prospects, you’re just relying on memory and scattered notes. A good tracking system helps you:

  • Avoid losing track of promising prospects
  • Prevent duplicate or premature asks
  • Monitor engagement over time
  • See the bigger picture of your board pipeline

At minimum, your tracking system should include:

  • Name and contact info
  • Where they are on the continuum: Casual, Connected, or Committed
  • Engagement activities to date: Tours, events, volunteer tasks, conversations
  • Notes on interests and skills
  • Board readiness status: Not ready, Ready for cultivation, Ready for ask
  • Assigned point person: Who’s nurturing the relationship?

You can use something as simple as a shared Google Sheet (here’s a sample), or as robust as a CRM (customer relationship management) platform. The goal is to make the invisible visible – to keep your board-building work intentional and forward-moving. 

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to upgrade your system, here are a few free or low-cost platforms that can support your tracking efforts:

  • Google Sheets + Google Forms – this free and simple platform is a great place to start if you are moving from having no system at all to wanting to put some structure to your tracking. Great if you are already using Google products. 
  • Airtable – combines spreadsheet functionality with database power. Good for small teams who want flexibility without technical support. Free for teams up to 5 users. 
  • HubSpot CRM – you can create different pipelines for different engagement strategies, such as casual – connected – committed. You can also assign owners, track communications, and log tasks. It’s free and can include automations or integrations with email. 
  • Trello – I use this system for tracking projects and relationships. It’s easy to move people along to different stages and include notes. This is free for the basic product and works great for us visual folks! 
  • Bloomerang Lite – is free for small nonprofits. It offers donor and volunteer tracking with engagement history and segmentation. Great for those organizations that foresee growing into needing a full fundraising CRM in the near future.  

 

Bringing It All Together

When you combine relationship-building, vetting, and tracking, you create a thoughtful, mission-centered pipeline for board development. You stop relying on luck or last-minute recruiting and instead start building a board that is aligned, prepared, and positioned to lead your organization well.

In the fifth article in this series, we’ll explore Making the Ask & Onboarding. This will include how to formally invite someone to serve on your board and welcome them into your organization in a way that is clear, inspiring, and sets the tone for success.

Because once you’ve invested in cultivating, vetting, and tracking a prospect, the invitation should feel like the natural next step – not a leap.

 

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges when it comes to finding governance volunteers. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss ways to advance your Board of Directors and the work of your agency.

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Passive to Powerhouse: Transform Your Board of Directors and Enhance Your Impact!

Picture a passionate nonprofit leader sitting at her desk, head in hands, wondering how to get her board more engaged. The last meeting barely made an impact, and when it came time to discuss fundraising strategies, most board members suddenly became very interested in their phones. 

Sound familiar?

I’ve seen this scenario play out countless times in my years working with nonprofits. One executive director said, “I feel like I’m herding cats, not leading a board.” It’s a common frustration, but it doesn’t have to be this way!

The truth is that an effective Board of Directors can be the rocket fuel that propels a nonprofit to new heights of impact and success, but boards often become passive observers rather than active partners in furthering the organization’s mission.

The Nonprofit Board Dilemma

When nonprofit leaders come to me for help, their concerns often revolve around a few key issues:

  • Disengaged board members who show up for meetings, but contribute little else
  • Lack of strategic direction from the board, leaving the staff to navigate complex decisions alone
  • Difficulty in recruiting board members with the right skills and passion
  • Boards that don’t understand their roles in fundraising and community outreach

These challenges don’t just create headaches for nonprofit leaders; they can significantly hinder an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and serve its community effectively.

The Path to a Powerhouse Board

So, how do we transform a passive board into a powerhouse of leadership and impact? It starts with a strategic approach to board development.

Every nonprofit is unique, and so are its board development needs. One size does not fit all. I often start by helping organizations conduct a thorough assessment of their current board composition and the specific skills and perspectives they need to drive their mission forward.

Vague responsibilities are a recipe for disengagement. I’ve seen the light bulb moment when board members finally understand what’s expected of them. Suddenly, they’re not just attending meetings, they are actively contributing their expertise and connections.

Gone are the days of recruiting board members simply because they’re willing to serve. We need to be strategic, identifying individuals whose skills, networks, and passions align with the organization’s needs. And once they’re on board, a robust onboarding and engagement process is crucial.

A Six-Month Journey to Excellence

Recognizing the need for a structured approach to board development, I’ve created a six-month program designed to guide nonprofits through this transformative process. Each month builds on the last, addressing critical areas of board functionality and engagement.

We start by assessing your unique needs and setting clear expectations. Then, we dive into strategic recruitment, effective onboarding, and fostering meaningful engagement. By the end of the six months, you’ll have the tools and strategies to cultivate a board that doesn’t just show up but is ready to drive your mission forward!

Is This Program Right for You?

As someone who’s been in your shoes, leading nonprofits and grappling with board challenges, I understand the hesitation to invest time and resources in board development. 

But ask yourself:

  • Is it easy to keep your board engaged beyond monthly meetings?
  • Is your board actively contributing to fundraising and strategic planning?
  • Do you have a clear, effective process for recruiting and onboarding new board members?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, this program could be the game-changer your organization needs.

Ready to Transform Your Board?

Imagine having a board that not only understands your challenges but actively works alongside you to overcome them. A board that brings diverse skills, connections, and resources to the table, propelling your nonprofit towards greater impact.

This isn’t just a dream; it’s an achievable reality. And it starts with a single step.

I invite you to book a call with me to discuss your organization’s unique needs and explore how this six-month journey could transform your board from passive to powerhouse. Together, we can build a board that doesn’t just support your mission – but supercharges it!

 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Check-in from Kim

About once a year I do a check-in with my contacts. I like to let folks know what I’m up to, and I love it when I get a response with an update on YOU! Would I prefer to sit down and have coffee with every single one of you? YES! Do I need that much caffeine in my system? No, no I do not.

It’s been just over a year since life’s circumstances led me to move back to Des Moines, Iowa from the Colorado Springs area. Overall, it’s been a great change for my family and me. I’ve been able to reconnect with my network, as well as family and friends. In 2023 I rode my bicycles more than the previous 5 years combined! My son is enjoying his senior year in high school, and my daughter is back in Colorado taking classes at CU Boulder. I so appreciate all of the support I received throughout my transition!

When I started my business I was doing consulting and coaching with just about anybody. Any of you who have a small business probably knows that doing anything often means doing nothing. As my journey continued, I narrowed my focus to nonprofits. Then getting even more specific, I now spend most of my time supporting nonprofit organizations with their volunteer governance boards, also known as their Board of Directors.

During my long career with the YMCA, I gained a LOT of knowledge and expertise in developing, leading, and empowering boards. What I didn’t realize at the time is that most nonprofit leaders do not receive any education on how a board should function, how to grow it, what to do with the volunteers once you have them, or what it means to have a healthy board. And those are the clients who I most love to help. A strong Board of Directors is vital to the long term sustainability and impact of an organization. Helping them get there is an honor!

Many people commit to new year’s resolutions this time of year (yes, I’m still considering this a new year, we’re only about 15% into 2024). In addition to trying to eat more green stuff and swear less, it’s also a great time to consider taking on a new role with a nonprofit Board of Directors. This kind of resolution is a win-win-win! You win by generating endorphins that come from doing good things for other people. The agency wins through gaining all your knowledge, passion, skills and expertise. And the community wins when you commit to making it a better place. If this is something that you are thinking about trying, check out my article on red flags to watch for, so that you can have the best experience possible.

If you are already serving on a board (thank you!), the new year is also a great time to take a good hard look at how it is functioning. Governance boards are often made up of business men and women. Sometimes we assume that since the people involved are all successful in their work life, they will be great in this role. Just like any other team or group – sports, staff, Girl Scouts – a board needs intentional thought put into getting, and staying healthy. To start a conversation about the health of your board, check out this article on conducting a board evaluation.

If you, or someone you know sits on a board that is not currently spending 80-90% of their time on governance work – I’d love to chat with the Chair/President or Executive Director. Governance work = visioning and planning, creating strategy, ensuring long-term sustainability, growing governance capacity, and partnering with the Executive Director in the leadership of the organization.

Below is a general list of the services that I provide to nonprofit agencies. One of the cool things about working with me is that I customize each contract package to meet the unique needs of the organization. Using listening and Motivational Interviewing skills I am able to create learning and growth experiences that advance the work of the organization.

Services:

  • Board evaluations
  • Executive Director and/or Chair/President coaching
  • Agency Consulting
  • Fractional support (part-time or temporary executive support)
  • Customized trainings
  • Strategic/Planning retreats

The nonprofit sector exists to make our world a better place. I love that I get to help these agencies get organized and build a healthy foundation. When you have your ducks in a row, saving the world is a lot more fun!

Respond to this email or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to catch up, or discuss ways to improve the health of a Board of Directors you know and love.

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com 

Plan for a Great Year-end Now

There are many different ways to raise money for the great causes in our communities. Getting your hardware store to have customers round-up, special events, mailings, selling cookies, and many, many more! In my career as an Executive Director and in the work I do now as a Consultant, I’ve always been much more passionate about the relationship side of fundraising than the transactional side. 

When we get nameless, faceless individuals to give us money on impulse or out of feelings of obligation or guilt, we are essentially making a transaction. It’s usually a one-time deal, and we never see the person again. There is nothing at all wrong with this. Many organizations are able to raise significant funds in this way. It’s just that I don’t get excited about it. 

The aspect of fundraising that motivates me is connecting people to causes that they care deeply about. To me, helping people to consider ways that they can make our communities stronger and healthier is what the nonprofit sector is all about. It involves drawing out empathy and compassion, then facilitating opportunities to direct those emotions into action and impact. This starts with developing relationships and your Board of Directors is a great place to begin laying the foundation of relationship-based development. 

At the end of the year, many organizations focus a great deal of energy on tasks that drive transactional giving. This is totally understandable – there are budgets to meet and year-end generosity and tax advantages to capitalize on. However, I want to spend this article giving you five strategies that you can put in place now (or over the next few months) that will help you sail into Q4 with confidence. 

Strategy #1 – Evaluate your Board of Directors

Is your board engaged? Do they care about the critical social issue you are addressing? Do they joyfully give their time, talent and treasure to advance the work you are doing to make your community a better place? Your board should be made up of your most enthusiastic and dedicated donors and volunteers. If they are not, it’s likely time for a shakedown. Imagine the year-end potential if you have a dozen raving fans out in the community sharing the importance of the work you do! 

Strategy #2 – Educate your Board of Directors 

Many people join boards because they care about the issue and advancing the solution, but they don’t know how to help. If they are not given direction, they often become disengaged, or they focus their energy in ways that are not helpful to the organization. Staff are already more than busy, and do not have time to download the massive amount of knowledge they have accumulated while working in the industry. 

So how do you bring volunteers up to speed so they can be actively involved in advancing the work? Give homework. Here are a few ideas that can help your volunteers understand your cause better. 

    • Assign research on the history or root cause of the issue your agency addresses. What are the underlying issues that many people don’t understand? 
    • Assign interviews with other agencies tackling different aspects of the issue. How do the different agencies work together? What other opportunities exist for tackling the problem? Why should we or should we not expand to address the issue in different ways? 
    • Assign interviews with constituents to help understand the impact of the issue. What do we think we know, but we really don’t? 
    • If possible, send them through an experience that helps them understand the work better. Poverty simulations, accessing services as a potential constituent, participating in programs, serving as a front-line volunteer, and more can give volunteers a deeper understanding of the cause. 

Have volunteers do their homework, then present it to the full board during a regular meeting. Them doing the research is going to make the learning more impactful, and they will likely come away with significantly different learnings than if staff had just told them what they know. 

Board members with a strong understanding of the problem and the unique way their organization is addressing the problem, are excited about sharing your amazing work and engaging other people in the solution. 

Strategy #3 – Engage your Board of Directors

Boards that come together every month or so just to hear about operations, are totally missing the point. Board and committee meetings should be centered on the work that the volunteers are doing to advance the cause. A planning or strategic retreat early in the fiscal year can help clarify the work that they need to be doing. If your agency is new to engaging your governance volunteers in appropriate work, here are a few ideas that can come out of intentionally planning their focus:

    • Expand upon the education homework to deepen understanding
    • Debate the merits of expanding or staying narrowly focused
    • Identify marketing opportunities for participants or donors
    • Discuss ways to deepen relationships with potential participants or donors 
    • Consider the strategies of other industries and how they may inform your work
    • Compare funding streams with those of other agencies and discuss
    • Identify XX prospects who should be friends of your organization and strategize how to establish and strengthen those relationships
    • Create policies to ensure long-term success
    • Plan for change, challenges and growth

These are just a few ideas, and of course – they will totally depend on the work and stage of your organization. The idea is to strengthen your board, their understanding and commitment to your work. As a result, you multiply the number of voices you have in your community sharing your stories. 

Strategy #4 – Tell different kinds of stories

Different brains work differently. There are a myriad of personality tests out there to prove it. So if you are only telling one kind of story, you are likely only connecting with one type of brain. Very generally speaking, these four different types of stories will appeal to four different types of potential friends of your organization:

    • Empathetic – these folks want to hear the stories about the people impacted by the problem and how you are helping them
    • Analytic – tell them about the numbers of people affected, financial burdens created by the problem, money saved by your solution, etc
    • Big Picture – give them the vision of how the world will be a better place because of your work
    • Process – this group wants to understand the problem and the way that you are fixing it

Oftentimes we just tell stories that pull at the heartstrings. Those are important stories, but for some people that’s just white noise. By telling different types of stories, you will pique the interest of more people and more potential year-end givers. When you educated your board on the different kinds of stories that can be told, you help them grow, and they become better story tellers for you. 

Strategy #5 – Capture and Communicate

I’ve talked before about the idea of friend-raising. This involves connecting people to your organization so that they care and hopefully want to volunteer, donate, spread the word, or engage in some other way. To friend-raise, you need to get out and talk to people about the work you are doing. Go to Rotary Clubs and networking groups and farmers markets. Seize every opportunity to tell your stories. This is how you spread awareness and find more potential “friends” of your organization.

If you are not already doing this, establish a system for capturing anyone who has potential to be a friend. In addition to name and contact information, collect how they connected to the organization, who would be a good person to follow-up, and rank whether they are a casual friend, a connected friend, or a committed friend. This can be a sophisticated CRM or an excel spreadsheet. 

When you (staff or volunteers) are out in the community speaking about your agency, note the people who ask the extra questions. Or the ones who have a personal story to tell you. Or the ones who stick around afterwards to talk more about the issue. These are perfect people to add to your list. 

Once you have a list, follow-up with them multiple times throughout the year. Send pictures from events, updates on impact, information about upcoming engagement opportunities, success stories, and more. Set a goal of connecting with organizational friends X times throughout the year. The purpose of the communications should be to deepen the relationship (they can include a “soft ask” if it feels appropriate). The bigger goal is to give them reasons why they want to donate during your year-end efforts. 

There you go! Five things that you (staff and volunteer leadership) can do now or throughout the year, to help make Q4 successful, fun and prosperous for your organization. 

I help organizations to create the volunteer leadership they need to advance their work and help make our world a better place. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss ways to strengthen your Board of Directors and the work of your agency.

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com

Think of your Board of Directors as an Adult Leadership Program

When I was an Executive Director with the YMCAs, I had Program Directors who ran our programs – things like day camp, youth sports, teen leaders, etc. Other organizations probably have similar roles, people who run programs, services, do case management, etc. A couple of months ago I shared an article on effective board meetings. In it, I talked about how I think of the Board of Directors as an Adult Leadership program that the Executive Director leads. 

Our youth programs would teach kids things like teamwork, sportsmanship, and how to develop healthy relationships. Similarly, our Board of Directors helps adults to develop their presentation and collaboration skills, it teaches them how to problem solve and advocate for things that are important to them, and it gives them a connection to their community that they might not otherwise have. 

When we think about our boards in that light, it shifts how we think about the structure, functions and activities of the board. It also helps us shift from a one-way street to a two-way street. If we just think about the board as being there to serve our organization, it’s a one-way street – what can the organization get out of these people? When we consider our work with the board as a two-way street we start to think about how the work engages and develops the members of the board. 

In planning a youth development program, the director needs to consider these components: 

  • Objectives and Purpose
  • Target Audience
  • Program Structure and Activities 
  • Curriculum and Content
  • Resources and Materials
  • Staff and Volunteers
  • Budget and Funding
  • Outreach and Recruitment
  • Evaluation and Assessment
  • Safety and Risk Management 

Let’s look at each and see how these planning components can apply to running an Adult Leadership program, AKA the Board of Directors. 

  • Objectives and Purpose

    • Clarify what you want the organization to get out of the program AND what you want the participants to come away with. Will they experience skills development, personal growth, community engagement, network building, leadership skills, personal fulfillment, etc? 

  • Target Audience

    • Who and what does your organization need in order to advance the work on the cause? Think about the skills, passion, connections, characteristics, and demographics of the people you want on your board. If the people on your board do not possess the qualities that you need, how can you help them to level-up?

  • Program Structure and Activities 

    • What are you going to have your board members do? It’s not enough to just have them come to board meetings for a sit & get. Incorporate opportunities for every board member to speak and contribute. Think about engagement opportunities outside of board meetings; such as committees, task forces, program observations, community outreach, public appearances, and more. Ideas for engaging your volunteers at a higher level:
      • Provide experiential learning to help grow their knowledge of the cause
      • Give them research projects or reading to do and report back to the larger group
      • Have them interview experts in your industry and share their learnings 
      • Give them the opportunity to conduct mission moment interviews and share the impact the organization is having
      • Delegate the facilitation of a discussion topics to someone other than the board chair
      • Additionally: opening thoughts, timekeepers, and committee reports are all roles that volunteers can step into 

  • Curriculum and Content

    • The content of board work should tie back to the mission and strategies of the organization. By including volunteers in strategic planning and tying those plans back to the month-to-month work of the board, you actively engage your board in advancing the mission. In addition, consider the opportunities you are including for your volunteers to grow. You might include:
      • Formal or informal training on things like: board governance, community initiatives, leadership skills, industry trends, etc. 
      • Board mentoring
      • Presentation opportunities
      • Networking 
      • Mission education and connection

  • Resources and Materials

    • This involves ensuring that your volunteers have the information available to do their job as a board member effectively. That can include an onboarding process, access to historical information, agendas and reading materials distributed in advance, and staff or volunteer support.

  • Staff and Volunteers

    • In order to ensure that the adult leadership program is effective, it requires staff or volunteer monitoring. Often the Executive Director is the leader who ensures that the program runs according to design. A Board Development committee or a Board Governance committee can (and should) help with planning, executing, and evaluating the work of the board. 

  • Budget and Funding

    • Just like with any other program, potential expenses need to be considered. Do you need to rent space for meetings, provide meals or snacks, purchase name tags or shirts, host socials, etc? Meals or other refreshments can serve as a great strategy for bringing people together and providing informal networking. 

  • Outreach and Recruitment

    • I hardly ever talk to a nonprofit leader that doesn’t ask me how they can find and recruit good board members. It’s important to acknowledge the fact that a professional and highly productive board can be one of your best attraction and retention tools. When people are excited about serving on your board and they believe their time is being used valuably, they will want to get others involved. And, the opposite is true. If meetings are unproductive and poorly organized, they can repel prospective board members.

  • Evaluation and Assessment

    • Again, this is often led by the Executive Director, and it is great to enlist the Board Development committee with this process. Good questions for the group to discuss include:
      • How effective was our last meeting?
      • Did we engage all members?
      • Are volunteers actively contributing?
      • What can we do to make the next one better? 
      • Are there any “off-line” conversations that need to happen? 
      • Are we meeting our objectives in regards to adult leadership development? 
      • Are we moving the needle on the work of the board towards our strategic objectives? 

  • Safety and Risk Management 

    • Serving on a board is usually a fairly low risk program in terms of physical safety. Unlike providing swimming or camping programming! To make sure that your volunteers are protected, all agencies should carry Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance. Additionally, ensuring that you create a culture where it is safe for people to step outside their comfort zone is key to helping them grow. No one grows when they do not feel safe. 

There’s no question that our best volunteers are the ones who give their time and energy to our organization out of a passion and desire to give back. And that is still super important. But if we are only thinking about what we can get out of our board members, rather than what we can give them, we are missing an opportunity to further develop the adult leaders we interact with and who care about making our world a better place. 

Every nonprofit is different and has unique needs and challenges. Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com, or schedule a Discovery Call if you would like to discuss your organization’s Adult Leadership Program. 

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors, and helper of nonprofit leaders.
kim@athena-coco.com 

 

Board Expectations

A few weeks ago I wrote about the challenge of finding volunteers to serve on boards of directors. In that article I mentioned that an important component in finding and recruiting board members is clarifying the expectation your organization has for them. After all, it’s hard to commit to something when you don’t know what it entails. Clarifying your agency’s board expectations is a foundational piece of developing a strong board. 

An organization can set any expectations that are relevant and important to them. They can be as simple or as complex as needed. Personally, I like to outline board expectations into these seven categories:

  • Attendance
  • Executive Director Support
  • Community Conduit
  • Fiduciary Governance
  • Intellectual Contributions 
  • Mission and Outcome Focus
  • Fundraising and Storytelling

Organizations that take the time to clarify each component for their board will have a great tool for recruiting, managing and accountability. Because of the unique nature of nonprofits – where the Executive Director often directs the work of the board, which is also their boss – this tool can be crucial to ensuring that the board can hold itself accountable. Let’s explore each of these categories and what can be included. 

Attendance

In the simplest of terms, attendance means showing up to board meetings. You may want to set a percentage of meetings they are expected to attend. It is a good practice to have set board meetings, held on the same day each month and at the same times. 

Frequency of board meetings should be set based on the needs of the organization and the work of the board. That being said, I generally recommend monthly or every other month. When a group meets less frequently it can be difficult to maintain engagement and connection. However, sometimes geographic constraints or the work of the organization may require fewer meetings. In those cases it might make sense to have longer meetings. 

In addition to attendance at board meetings, an organization may want to set expectations around attending committee meetings, special events, trainings, programming and more. Some agencies require a minimum number of hours from their volunteers each month. 

This category is also where you can define your board terms. Spell out when terms begin and end, how long they are, the ability to serve consecutive terms, and maximum length a board member can serve.

Partner with Executive Director

Running a nonprofit is a big job! Supporting the Executive Director is one of the most helpful things a board can do. When given projects or tasks it should be an expectation that the board member executes them completely and on time. Often if a board member doesn’t follow through, that work falls on the Exec. That puts the Exec in a very awkward position of having to hold one of their bosses accountable or just doing it themselves. 

Secondly in this category, there should be the expectation that the board drives the strategies of the organization. The more that the governance volunteers can focus on this aspect of the organization, the more the Exec can focus on the operations. Looking outward and focusing on strategies to advance the work of the organization is an expectation of the board. 

Lastly, no one knows everything or can have their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the community all the time. Board members should be available to the Exec when they need advice, insight or special expertise. Volunteers must give their input with the best interest of the organization as their top priority.  

Conduit to the Community

Having a board of directors multiplies the number of eyes, ears and voices in the community on behalf of an agency. Board members should be out, seeing what is going on in the community related to the work of the organization, listening to what people are saying about it, and sharing about the outcomes and impact. In addition, they should be bringing information back to the board to discuss and help with decision making and strategizing. 

Some organizations utilize their volunteers to promote their work. This can involve expectations around attending networking groups or service clubs, or even hosting house parties to educate the public on the organization. Other agencies have their board submit names for “friend raising.” This involves bringing more people into their circle of organizational advocates, to nurture them into volunteers, donors, or even future board members. There are organizations that require a board member to secure their successor before their term expires. These are all options to consider when developing expectations.

Fiduciary Governance

This component is a little more tricky to quantify and measure. The board is responsible for the financial and legal integrity of the organization. Generally the Treasurer takes the responsibility of reviewing financial statements and interpreting them for the larger board. The expectation of the board is that they make decisions that are in the best financial and legal interest of the organization. It is expected that they led from a place of selflessness. 

Intellectual contributions

Every board meeting should include some sort of generative discussion. It is best if the discussion is around strategy and organizational advancement; however, sometimes the input of volunteers on operational topics is important. That being said, board members should be prepared for discussion and ready to contribute their thoughts, perspectives and ideas. 

Not everyone is comfortable sharing in large groups. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have valuable input. Some volunteers may submit their thoughts in writing after they have had time to process the discussion. When measuring board effectiveness it can be important to recognize and honor these differences in contribution styles. 

Mission and Outcomes Focused

Every governance volunteer should take the time to understand the critical social issue that the organization is working to address; as well as the unique way they are tackling it. They should be familiar with and support policies. And they should understand the organization’s needs. 

The staff (whether paid or volunteer) are responsible for the operations and program/service delivery. It is the board’s job to make sure that the programs/services are fulfilling the mission. They are the ones who need to be driving the measurement of program impact and connecting it to the purpose of the organization. 

Lastly in this section, the board is responsible for ensuring clarity around the values of the organization. Clarifying values helps with decision making, recruiting staff and volunteers, and communicating who you are and what you do. Board members are expected to be the ones setting the example of how the organizational values look in action. 

Fundraising and Storytelling

Board members should be expected to give a personally meaningful financial donation to the organization. This is important for so many reasons! Why should anyone else give to a nonprofit if the governance board doesn’t feel strongly enough about the cause to give? Why would a grantor award a funds to an organization that doesn’t have a passionate and committed board? It must start with the board. 

In addition to giving, board members should be expected to use their network, connections, and circle of influence to advance the organization. This includes asking them to contribute. I believe that this is one of the most valuable aspects of the nonprofit sector. They are compelled to tell people how they are making the world a better place and asking them to come alongside and help. 

This can be challenging for young nonprofits, or organizations that attract volunteers who have never served on a board. That’s where the phrase “personally meaningful” or “personally significant” can be helpful. An agency may set their initial expectation at $10/month, then ask those with greater means to consider an additional personally significant contribution. Special events can be a good place for volunteers to practice their storytelling skills and work on “friend raising” before they advance to fundraising. 

If the cause is important and the organization is making a difference, every board member needs to be giving. Period. 

You may notice that none of this is about daily operations. That’s because that is not the board’s role. However, with very young or very small nonprofits, there can be some cross over. As you develop your board expectations, I recommend you keep them focused on the governance side of the organization. This keeps it clean, and if/when the organization grows, the board will know what is expected of them in their role. 

Once you and your board have established their expectations, create a tool for tracking. Quantify as much as you can and put it in a spreadsheet. Put each board member’s name down the side and regularly evaluate how everyone is doing. At a minimum the board president/chair should look at it quarterly. You can also include it into your board packets. That way everyone knows where they stand and they can help hold each other accountable. One less awkward job for the Exec to do! 

Does your organization need help establishing expectations. These can be challenging conversations. It can help to have someone from outside facilitate the discussion. If so, I would love to help! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com to learn more. Let’s connect!

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com